Customs officers at Tashkent International Airport have intercepted an illegal attempt to smuggle gold coins minted in the early 20th century out of Uzbekistan, the Cultural Heritage Agency reported.
The 24 undeclared gold coins were discovered hidden inside the carry-on luggage of an Uzbek citizen who was boarding a flight from Tashkent to Baku. The passenger had also failed to declare the items during initial verbal questioning.
To evaluate the historical and cultural significance of the coins, they were forwarded to specialists at the Cultural Heritage Agency's Department of Fine Arts Expertise.
The experts recommended that the seized physical evidence be officially transferred to the Precious Metals Agency under the Central Bank of Uzbekistan.
The Cultural Heritage Agency reminded the public that exporting any cultural artifacts created 50 or more years ago is strictly prohibited under domestic law.
This incident follows a similar bust in the Surkhondaryo province, where an individual was detained while trying to smuggle ancient 16th-century coins out of the country. Those artifacts have since been handed over to the Termez Archaeological Museum.
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